Monsters Hunting Fireflies
by sxevlbtch
Summary: It's been two years since the events of A Firefly Among Monsters. The crew of Serenity is searching for River, but they aren't the only ones looking.
1. Searching for the Truth

AN: I am so excited to be starting this sequel! I have actually been working on it for awhile but wanted to see Riddick: Rule the Dark before committing to anything (needed to make sure I could work them together). Anyways I want to give early shout outs to everyone who followed _A Firefly Among Monsters_, I hope I don't disappoint you. Now on with this show!

* * *

Chapter 1: Searching for the Truth

Song: Truth by Seether

XXX

...Two years later...

Riddick's POV

I jog through the hallways of Dark Athena till I come to the main room with the elevators. Just as I turn the corner a rocket comes flying at me and I quickly roll to the side. I look up and there's the bitch Revas standing in her mech suit.

"It took months to create this!" She bitches as I stand up and she flips a nearby table. "Months you asshole!"

"Then you come in here and you fucked it all up! And for what? Some crazy piece of ass? I'm used to livin' hard Riddick...but it ends right here...right now."

"Your funeral..." I say as I draw my shivs.

She fires a rocket at me again, but I dodge it as easily as the first. It hits one of the elevators behind me and I hear the metal giving way to the explosion. I circle around Revas until her back is to the elevator and then I start launching my attack.

While her mech suit may give her a long range advantage...she is shit up close and personal. It doesn't take me long to get her backup towards the empty elevator shaft. She stumbles back...but manages to grab hold of the edge.

I walk over and peer down at her. "It didn't have to be this way...you could have told me what I wanted to know..." She just glares and doesn't say anything though.

"Tell me where _she_ is..." I say through gritted teeth.

"You know what it doesn't fucking matter anymore...I don't know where she is..." She practically hisses at me.

She doesn't say anything as she turns and looks at the shaft below her now. "See you in hell Riddick." And she lets go over the edge.

I shake my head...there goes the first good lead we had in months...I grab the comm unit out of my back pocket and dial in their frequency.

"Big Bad to Valkyrie...come in Valkyrie." I wait for a response.

"This is Valkyrie Big Bad...you get anything?" Wash responds.

"Negative...bitch didn't have any information. Ready for pick up...Be at the landing bay in 5." I say as I walk back towards the way I came.

I hear him sigh in the com. "I'm sorry...I know we all wanted this one to pan out...be there in 5 for pick up." Wash says before I turn off the com.

Another dead end. This was just another dead end over the past year. Another fucking waste.

I get to the landing bay without incident and find them waiting. The cargo bay doors are open and Mal is leaned up against the side near the controls...gun ready just in case.

"She get what she deserved?" He asks as I walk past and he hits the console to close the doors.

"Don't they always?" I say darkly.

XXX

River's POV

"Necromongers..." I whisper as I wake.

**_...If I gave you the truth, would it keep you alive?..._**

It isn't the first time this word has clouded my mind. It is a word...a name...that haunts my dreams now. Other names haunt my dreams as well...but Necromongers...Necromongers are an army unlike any other. Crusading across the stars toward a place called UnderVerse, their promised land...a constellation of dark new worlds.

**_...Though I'm closer to wrong  
I'm no further from right..._**

And if they cannot convert you, they will kill you... she has seen it.

**_...And now I'm convinced on the inside that something's wrong with me  
Convinced on the inside, you're so much more than me, yeah..._**

The girl sees his face in the dreams too...their Lord Marshal...their leader. He alone has made a pilgrimage to the gates of the UnderVerse...and returned a different being. Stronger. Stranger. Half alive and half...something else. But he is afraid...afraid of a prediction... He consulted a seer…of sorts...thirty years ago, before he was their Lord Marshall...and was told that he would die at the hands of a Furyan.

**_...No there's nothing you say that can salvage the lie  
But I'm trying to keep my intentions disguised..._**

This prediction...something now more than 30 years old...haunts the man...this silly superstitious man... Superstition is to religion what astrology is to astronomy...the mad daughter of a wise mother...

**_...And now I'm deprived of my conscience and something's got to give  
Deprived of my conscience  
This all belongs to me, yeah..._**

He waged a private war on the planet Furya, killing what he could find...close to twenty five years ago. That massacre should have ended that matter, but it didn't... The Alliance came to power not long after...finished off what the Necromongers started and forced the Necromongers back... back into the deep dark depths of unchartered space...biding their time...waiting...

**_...The deception you show is your own parasite  
Just a word of advice you can heed if you like..._**

And now their time is approaching...they see the chaos...see what we...what _he_...has done. They know the secret...know what the Alliance did...they see the upheaval...the dissent...and they are taking up arms to make their pilgrimage again...

**_...And now I'm convinced on the inside that something's wrong with me  
Convinced on the inside you're so much more than me, yeah..._**

But he hasn't changed. He knows...all the power in the universe can't change destiny. But he has heard of something...something that could tip the balance in his favor...a weapon to be used...and he is searching...endlessly...

**_...I'm weaker now my friend, I belong to them  
Beaten down again, I've failed you..._**

He's searching...for me...they both are.

XXX

...A few months later...

Riddick's POV

Just a little further, all I need to do is suck them in a little further.

I've got them hot on my heels...too bad the fuckers don't realize I know this place all too well, spent weeks scouting for the perfect place...The perfect place to draw them in, play it all up close and personal.

Fuckers really never stood a chance.

XXX

Four mercs follow Riddick in a scouting type ship. Two of the mercs hang from rigging on the outside, each with a gatling gun equipped with nets.

"Linin' him up for you. Port-side shot comin' up." Toombs says into the com. "Steady. Here we go." Toombs says to the merc on the ship with him. "Steady...Take it. Take it! Take the shot!"

Toombs screams as the merc misses. "Shit!" He punches the control panel and continues to fly after Riddick.

"Toombs, we're runnin' out of road!" The other merc says through the com.

"Shut up! I got it! Again!" Toombs says back into the com. "Now!" Toombs yells.

The merc fires and narrowly misses Riddick, one of the harpoons that anchors the nets nicks Riddick's leg. Riddick growls as he pulls it from his leg. He pulls out his shivs and turns to face the ship now.

"Riddick." Toombs sneers.

Riddick turns and walks into the cave behind him now.

"I don't know, Toombs...Looks kinda tight." Says the merc behind Toombs.

"Not where I'm sittin'. This is the biggest payday ever, so throw on a fresh pair of panties. Let's get this right."

It doesn't take long after that. Riddick ghosts the two in the rigging before the last two can even see him. He jumps on top of the ship before the one sticking his head out the door can see him and he quietly enters the now open door.

XXX

Riddick's POV

He doesn't even hear me behind him...stupid fuck.

"You made three mistakes Toombs...First, you took the job...Second, you came light. A four-man crew for me? Fuckin' insulting." I can tell Toombs is thinkin' about what he wants to do next...but he's in for a nasty surprise.

"But the worst mistake you made..."

Toombs goes for the gun rack to his left now. But grimaces at what he sees.

"Empty gun rack." I say with a chuckle.

I charge him before he can make another move and quickly haul his ass into the air and then down to the floor. I pull a shiv and put it to his leg.

"So this is how it's going to go...you tell me what I want to know, and maybe I leave you with your balls?"

"Fuck you!" Toombs screams in my face, he's rewarded with my shiv being stuck into his thigh.

The merc groans and yells. "FUCK!"

"So...Where is _she?" _ I ask as he starts to quiet down.

"Fuck you I don't know who you'r talkin' about!" He screams.

"See Toombs...I know you do...you were one of them...before it all went to shit for the Alliance...you were one of the fifteen fuckers there...you took _her_...so where did you fuckin' take _her_ to?" I twist the shiv in his thigh and he screams.

"What planet?" I ask him as I twist the shiv more.

"Helion...Helion Prime!" He screams.

"But she isn't there now...we looked...what did they do with her." Again I twist the shiv.

"Transport ship...head to a triple max...don't know which one..."

I narrow my eyes at the man...he's a worthless sack of shit...but he ain't lying...I don't smell it on him. I get up and move towards the control panel now.

"Where you goin'?" He asks as looks in my direction.

"Last question...And you better get this one right, merc." I say as I turn back to him...a dark smile on my face. "Whose ship is this?" I walk up to where he is slumped on the floor...his face looking up at me confused.

"Uhh...Mine?"

"Wrong answer." I say as I bring my boot down onto his skull. There is an audible crack, and blood begins to pool around the now dead merc's head.

I roll the body over to the small door and throw it out. Then I pull out my com unit. Again, I dial in their frequency.

"Big bad to Valkyrie, do you copy?"

A minute goes by before I here them. "This is Valkyrie Big Bad, we was wondering when you would be done...you ready for pickup?" Jayne says over the com.

"Rendezvous in 2 hours."

"Roger that...Hey Wash! Get this thing in the air!" Jayne yells as he turns off the com.

XXX

...2 hours later...

Riddick walks across the snowy field towards Serenity. He's carrying a sack full of scavenged parts and supplies from the mercs ship.

"Nice to see you brought presents." Zoe says as she greets him.

"Well, they won't be needin' um anymore." He says as he hands the sack over to Zoe.

She closes up the cargo bay doors before she drags the bag to the storage lockers. "Everyone is in the common area waitin' on you." Zoe says as she stores the stuff.

"They patching him in?"

"Wash should be workin' on it."

Riddick nods at her words. "I'll wait till you get up to start."

XXX

Riddick's POV

I am standing at the head of the table with the crew gathered around. Simon and Kaylee sit together...with Kaylee holding little Allie Washburn...Zoe and Wash's daughter. Wash is next to them..fiddling with the com unit they have in the middle of the table. Mal and Jayne stand on the other side. Zoe walks in not long after and takes Allie from Kaylee, making little cooing noises at the baby.

"We almost got him patched through?" Mal asks Wash.

"Should just...got it." Wash says as the image of Shepherd Book appears before us.

"Nice to see you all alive and well." Book's hologram says.

"Likewise Shepherd. How you holdin' up? You been dirt side an awful long time now." Mal asks.

"Well I do alright, my sister says hello by the by. She was asking how your food stores are doing."

"Well the food ain't the same since you left us...Jayne's a crap cook." Wash jokes.

"Watch it little man." Jayne says as he glares.

"Give our regards to your sister." Mal says before they get down to business.

"Will do Captain...So I take it you have news." Books replies as he kinda turns towards me and I feel everyone else's eyes follow.

"They took her to Helion Prime...Alliance must have been facing blow-back sooner than the reports let on, because they didn't transport her back to them...put her on some transport ship headed to a triple max." I tell the crew.

Both Jayne and Simon curse under their breaths. Kaylee elbows Simon in the ribs for his comment.

"We get anything else out of them?" Zoe asks stoically.

"You mean other than their blood? No, that's all I got." I reply.

There is a hush around the table before Mal speaks. "Well Shepherd...seems as if we are paying you a visit."

"I'll start pulling old transport logs...see if I have something to go on when you all get here." His hologram disappears after that.

"Wash set course for Helion Prime, go for a full burn."

"Got it Captain." Wash says as he gets up from the table. Zoe follows him with Allie in her arms.

"Kaylee, see if you can get some more out of our girl for Wash. Simon give her a hand."

"On it Cap'n." Kaylee says as she and Simon leave.

XXX

...Elsewhere...

"You didn't tell them." A female voice says from behind him.

Book turns and looks at his sister, Lajjun, standing in the doorway. He sighs and his head drops. "They are coming here...I didn't want to worry them."

"They need to know...if what we hear is true..."

But Book cuts her off. "If he doesn't find her first then it won't matter." Book says as he walks past the woman and out of the room.

XXX

AN: And we are back! Are you all excited? I know I am... I was toying with the idea of including more of Assault on Dark Athena, but I think it is better if we just come in on the last part...which is really all I wanted/needed to use. But at least this way I am including more Riddick canon in this story. Anyways, reviews are always appreciated...'til next time ;)


	2. Whispers

AN: Yeah! Thank you everyone who has favorited, followed, and reviewed over the past week. It makes me so happy to see people following the story. Special shout outs go to: Irishbrneyes, guineverekay, stef, , Shenandoah76209, and Axil 2.0 for the reviews you left for chapter 1. Now on with the show!

Chapter 2: Whispers

Song: Animal I Have Become by Three Days Grace

XXX

Riddick's POV

I'm half asleep when I feel it...like the ghost of fingertips along my spine. The scent of lavender fills my nostrils. My eyes shoot open and I flip to my back and sit up. I look around the room and see...nothing. Just like I always do when this happens.

I hear her whispers now. _"An Alpha…the strongest of your kind."_

My shoulders slump now as my adrenaline dies down in my veins. I sigh. It's always the same...every time I try and sleep...it's always the same...I feel _her._..hear _her_... maybe she was right, when she told it to Early...maybe she was the ship.

_"They didn't know she could do that...but she did."_

I throw my feet over the side of the bunk and stand up to pull on a shirt. I'm not going to get any sleep down here so I might as well walk around.

I climb out of my bunk...our bunk...and walk towards the cargo bay. "Maybe a few sets with the weights will help." I say to myself.

As I get closer I hear laughter..._her_ laughter...in my ears and I growl. Gorram memories...

I sit down at the weight bench and begin to bench press the weights. It doesn't take long before memories and her voice seeps back into my brain.

_"Every morning the girl jumps out of bed and steps on a landmine. The landmine is…me. After the explosion, she spends the rest of the day putting the pieces together. But there are always missing pieces, there is never a big picture...it's always incomplete."_

I push the weights harder trying to burn out her voice with adrenaline and sweat...but another memory just enters in it's place...

_"Where is she anyways, she's makin' us late. This party is liable to be over by the time we get here."_

_"She is here." Calls River from behind us._

_I turn and look and am not happy with what I see. Unlike Kaylee's frilly thing, she is dressed in a sleek dress that clings to her every curve and dips into a deep v neck front, barely covering her breasts. Her hair is pulled back to allow everyone to fucking see the cut of the dress too. No fuckin' way is she wearing THAT!_

The image of River standing there...in that gorram dress pushes me over the edge and I growl as I throw the weights to the side and begin to punch the bag hanging near by. Rage and wrath taking over my vision until I see red.

_"You can't be mad with her..." _A voice.._her _voice... says from behind me... Again I feel the ghosting touch of fingertips along my spine. The light touch causes me to still and stop my onslaught on the bag.

"You're not here...who else am I supposed to be mad at." I say as I sigh and lean into the bag. The ghost still lingers. "They were supposed to watch you...keep you safe."

_"You knew what she would do...she saw it in your eyes."_

"Doesn't mean I ain't mad at you for it."

_"They would have killed you...all of you...and then taken the girl away anyways..."_

"You don't know that."

_"She does...you knew it too...she saw it in your eyes."_

I punch the bag again now and let out a roar of frustration...a small rip appears in the top of the bag and I hear the sand near it begin to pour out.

"I wish you were here...I wish I was talking to you...Instead of talking to my own fucked up self."

I don't feel any more ghosting fingertips now...or her voice in my head.

"Where are you River?"

XXX

River's POV

She's being carted back to the cages...their reward for my latest escape attempt.

**_...I can't escape this hell  
So many times I've tried..._**

The girl managed to slit the throat of one of the guards before they caged me though...that was my small consolation prize.

**_...But I'm still caged inside..._**

**_"_**Act like an animal and I'm gonna slot you up like one." One of the guards pushing the crate yells.

"This one is always trouble...I knew it! I smell it." The big guy next to him says.

**_...Somebody get me through this nightmare  
I can't control myself..._**

They open the front of the crate now, and push it in front of the cage...the one they keep reserved for _me_... The iron queen doesn't feel like cooperating though.

**_...I can't escape myself  
So many times I've lied..._**

I hold my ground as they try and shake me loose. They curse as they shake the crate more. Finally they grab metal poles and begin to try and prod me through the small openings in the crate.

...**_But there's still rage inside..._**

"Get in there!" The big guy yells.

**_...Somebody get me through this nightmare  
I can't control myself..._**

I grab the pole he is using now and thrust it back towards him...it connects with his groin and I hear him double over...short of breath and in pain.

**_...Somebody wake me from this nightmare  
I can't escape this hell..._**

It isn't until they threaten to shoot me that I allow myself to be prodded into the cage. I still kick and pound...thrash and snarl at them as they do though...

**_...(This animal, this animal, this animal, this animal, this animal, this animal, this animal)..._**

They quickly slam the cage door shut...there is growling on either side of me now...the natives are restless...

**_...So what if you can see the darkest side of me?  
No one will ever change this animal I have become..._**

The hellions to my left and right begin to claw at their own cages...roaring and growling as I thrash in my cage...They recognize a fellow animal when they see one...they want out of their cages just as badly as I do...

**_...Help me believe it's not the real me  
Somebody help me tame this animal  
(This animal I have become)..._**

XXX

...New Mecca...

Serenity docks on New Mecca a day or two after talking with Book. The whole crew was excited with the prospect of good company and Lajjun's cooking. Over the past year they had gotten close to Book's sister and her daughter Ziza, and they tried to stop in when they were between jobs and leads.

But when the crew descended the cargo bay ramp, they were met with an unusual sight. Tons of people and families were piling into ships, carrying as many belongings as they could with them.

"What's goin' on?" Kaylee asked.

"Don't rightly know." Mal said as he studies the scene.

"Everyone seems a might jumpy today." Jayne says as he takes the safety off his gun.

Mal peers into the crowd and his eyes narrow...he knows what fear looks like when he sees it. "All you stay here...somethin' ain't right."

"Captain?" Zoe says falling back into military mode. She can see the fear on the faces too.

"Zoe, you and Jayne are on guard. Wash be ready to fly the minute we need to. Riddick, you and I will take a walk see if we can't figure out what's got these people spooked...then we'll go to Book's radio back what we find out."

"I'll meet you there..." Riddick says as pulls the hood of his cape over his head and walks into the crowd.

XXX

...A few hours later...

Book walks down the street, saying hello and offering comforting glances to the familiar faces that he passes. When he left Serenity for New Mecca he stepped into Mr. Universe's role for the crew of Serenity...to act as their eyes and ears. He relayed information back to the crew on any lead that he could track down. He never anticipated staying this long, but his sister and niece needed him, and he had become a strong member of the community.

That is why they look to him now...support. They are afraid, and he knows it. He hears the whispers in the streets. The talk of the comet, death and destruction, whole worlds left to die. He just hopes the other rumors, the one's that may save them, are true as well.

He turns a corner and comes to the block of his sister's house. He takes out his key and slides it into the door, looking around as he does to make sure he wasn't followed.

He enters and quickly closes and locks the door behind him.

"Interesting thing...the doors being locked." Come a familiar voice from the shadows.

XXX

Riddick's POV

I watch as Book sighs in relief. "The others?" He asks as he steps towards me.

"Some of us are here." Mal says as he steps through the door to the side room. "But with all these whispers and rumors we're hearing on the street today figured it was better if the others stayed behind."

"Hood of the devil. That's what someone called 'em." I say as I step forward. "Some kind of new creature..."

"I have heard them as well... They say it is so tall that it touches the clouds. And there's nothing around this statue, this colossus. Nothing left. It's their calling card." Book says as moves to look out the window.

"Riddick, are you going to kill the new monsters?" A young girl says. We turn to see her standing by the stairs.

"Ziza...what have we told you about eavesdropping." Book lightly scolds.

She looks a little sorry for being reprimanded.

"Hey kiddo." I say with a small wink at her. She smiles a little more now.

"Ziza, go upstairs to your mother." Book says.

She turns and goes back upstairs now and we turn back to the matter at hand.

"It is said the comet always precedes them...these world-enders. The Coalsack planets are gone. Eight million settlers missing. The entire Aquilan System is gone too." Book tells us solemnly as he looks out the window at the comet in the sky.

"Why didn't you tell us sooner?" Mal says with a hint of fury in his voice. Can't blame the man, here we finish with one fight and look to get saddled with another.

I stalk over to a nearby window and looks outside...it's getting quieter on the street...almost too quiet.

"I needed you to come here...we fear they may strike here next. Helion Prime shares its sunlight with all worlds nearby. If we fall, they fall. And after that...My God, how do I save my family? Have you heard anything I've said?" Book directs at me.

"You said it's all circling the drain...the whole universe. Right?" I say as I continue to peer outside.

"That's right."

I shrug. "Had to end sometime."

_"Necromonger." _River's voice echoes through my head.

"They will kill every last human life... unless the universe can rebalance itself. There is a story, Riddick, of young male Furyans... strangled at birth... strangled with their own cords."

Book has my full attention now. "Preacher you walkin' into dangerous territory here." I say through gritted teeth.

But it doesn't stop him from asking more questions. "What do you know of your early years? Do you remember your home world? Have you met any others...others like yourself."

"Hell, they don't know what to do with just one of me."

There is a moment of silence before Book opens his mouth to speak, but the harsh knocking on the front door cuts him off.

XXX

AN: Okay, I want to make it clear that the voice Riddick hears is River's, but it's not her exactly. Sometimes he hears things that River actually says, but she isn't saying them to him. They have an extremely strong connection, and sometimes things pass to Riddick through their connection. The voice that talks directly to Riddick though is more his subconscious projecting what he thinks she would say, because he knows her well enough kind of thing.


	3. I'm dying again

AN: Regin, Irishbrneyes, , and Shenandoah76209 for the recent reviews. It really makes my day to open my inbox and see the reviews you guys leave. I hope you guys don't end up throwing shivs at me after this chapter though. Now on with the show!

Chapter 3: Just when I thought I'd reached the bottom

Songs: Going Under by Evanescence and Fight Song by Marilyn Manson

XXX

River's POV

She drags the shiv along her arm and it leaves a trail of deep red in its wake.

"They're getting closer." She says as her hand tightens around the shiv in her hands.

**_...Now I will tell you what I've done for you -  
Fifty thousand tears I've cried..._**

It used to be she could barely feel the guitar strings...each one connected to a different person...but as they get closer and closer to the truth she feels them again. Some are in tune and sing sad songs...others were saved before they snapped...and some still remain so tight they could snap at any minute...

**_...Screaming, deceiving and bleeding for you -  
And you still won't hear me..._**

Her salty tears sting the fresh cuts on her arms as they fall. She's tried everything she could think of to warn them...but no matter what she does she doesn't have the missing piece to complete the puzzle.

"It won't matter soon." She says as more tears fall.

**_...Maybe I'll wake up for once (wake up for once)  
Not tormented daily defeated by you  
Just when I thought I'd reached the bottom  
I'm dying again..._**

She's seen every possibility, run every equation that they bring up. But she doesn't have all the variables... too many missing factors. Things that need to be accounted for.

**_...Blurring and stirring - the truth and the lies.  
(So I don't know what's real) So I don't know what's real and what's not (and what's not)..._**

"We must run as fast as we can, just to stay in place. And if we wish to go anywhere we must run twice as fast as that." The girl says as she draws another line of angry red on her arm. Its nothing to the pain she knows is coming...she only does it to remind herself to fight...because the pain means she is alive.

**_...Always confusing the thoughts in my head  
So I can't trust myself anymore..._**

She throws the shiv into the wall then and pulls her knees to her chest...clutching at herself.

"I wish I knew how to save you...and me."

**_I'm going under _**

XXX

"Open up in there!" A man yells from the other side as the knocking continues.

"They are searching houses!" Lajjun hisses to Book as she comes down stairs with Ziza in her arms. "They look for a man who came here today. They think he might be a spy."

"A spy? Did someone see him come here today? Did they?" Book turns and looks from Mal to Riddick.

"We're sure he's in there!" The man yells from the outside again.

"I will send them away...But wait one minute, please. Will you wait one minute to save worlds?" Book asks.

"Not our fight."

"This doesn't just affect us Riddick, it affects her too." Book says before he turns and walks to the door to try and shoo the men away.

"You may want to go with them Mal." Riddick says as he walks past Mal into a back room.

"You sure?"

"Ain't like they are going to be much of a challenge."

XXX

Riddick's POV

Mal turns and walks away and I hear the commotion outside. I extinguish all but two candles in the back room. The men..soldiers by the sound of it quickly storm the house looking for me. Their boots stomp through the house until all eight of them are slowly approaching the doorway to the room I am in.

My back is turned to them and I slowly extend the palms of my hands above the two remaining candles. "You're not afraid of the dark, are you?"

My palms extinguish the flames and the entire room is plunged into darkness. The soldiers begin to wildly fire and I quickly duck into the chaos and pull out my shivs.

"Where is he?" A scared soldier asks.

I take out him and two others before I hear the others retreating. After a moment I hear two sets of footsteps approaching. I walk into the other room and see Book and Mal. Time for some answers...

"You mentioned _her_."

"She, uh..." Book stammers, which is interesting, because in all the time I have known this man never stumbles over his words.

Mal is quick to jump in now. "If it concerns her you best tell us."

"There is a rumor...the Necromongers...are looking for something on all of the world's they conquer...a girl...unlike any other girl...one that could tip the balance..."

"And you didn't think to tell us this?" Mal fumes.

"I only just heard..." Book says sheepishly.

"Do we have any idea of where she is?" I ask trying to contain my anger at the fucked up situation.

Book nods. "I have found some records...of a transport ship carrying one prisoner...headed for a world so hot you would not survive on the surface."

XXX

River's POV

...Reality Shifts...

She spent the last week between being drugged and in cryo. They had done a number on her after she had surrendered. But when the signal went out...well, let's just say that the squad that had picked her up jumped ship and decided to unload her, and they had left her with a merc crew...

**_...Nothing suffocates you more than  
The passing of everyday human events..._**

"So, where do we drop your murderin' ass? Who's gonna pay the most for you now? Butcher Bay?"

**_...Isolation is the oxygen mask you make  
Your children breathe in to survive..._**

She looks up now at the mercs in front of her. Three men, ex-Alliance by the looks of the weapons they carry. A nickel-slick badge hanging off each of their shirts. They reminder her of the blue-eyed devil...

**_...But I'm not a slave to a god  
That doesn't exist..._**

They have her chained at the back of the transport...her arms and legs...but she's defiant as ever. They are playing with her...they know exactly where they are going, but they haven't been briefed on who she is..or what she can do... They feel like playing with what they think of as their prey...oh if only they knew.

**_...But I'm not a slave to a world  
That doesn't give a shit..._**

She smiles. "Butcher Bay. Ten minutes every other day on the dog run. Protein waffles aren't bad." She is pulling up fragments of _his_ memories...she can hear the inflection in her voice change to reflect this...

**_...And when we were good  
You just closed you eyes..._**

"Now how would a little piece of ass like you know that?" The main merc...Lou...asks.

"A friend told her."

"This friend of yours have a name?"

She gives them a feral smirk now. "Maybe."

**_...So when we are bad  
We'll scar your minds..._**

"Hey, how 'bout Ursa Luna? Nice little double-max prison." The merc to Lou's left asks.

"Like staying at a bed and breakfast...I'm sure they have an empty cell...just in case she drops by." She chuckles as the men look a little more uncomfortable the more she speaks.

**_...You'll never grow up to be a big-  
Rock-star-celebrated-victim-of-your-fame..._**

"You know the problem with these joints now? Health clubs for waffle-eatin' bitches. Maybe we should think about uppin' our game here a little bit. Think about someplace truly diabolical."

"What the hell is he thinkin' now?" The merc to the right asks.

**_...They'll just cut our wrists like  
Cheap coupons and say that death  
Was on sale today..._**

"He's thinkin' a triple-max prison. A no-daylight slam, only three of' 'em left in this system… two of' 'em outta range for a shitty little undercutter like this one with no legs...Leavin' just… one… Crematoria. That is what you had in mind, right, Lou?"

**_...And when we were good  
You just closed you eyes..._**

The merc to the right looks confused. "Hey, how does she know where we're goin'?"

Lou's face has lost its joking nature now. His thoughts have been replaced with anger. He doesn't like that she knows. "Dope it out."

**_...So when we are bad  
We'll scar your minds..._**

"I hate this run." The merc on the left says as he turns to leave.

"Just do it!" Lou yells over his shoulder.

**_...But I'm not a slave to a god  
That doesn't exist..._**

"Don't know about this crew of yours… They seem a bit skittish. Probably shouldn't tell 'em what happened to the last crew."

"Now how would you know anything about my last crew?" Lou asks as he walks forward.

"Wouldn't you just love to know?" She says as as she stares him down defiantly. He backhands her when she doesn't look away. She can taste copper in her mouth now and turns to glare at the merc in front of her.

**_...But I'm not a slave to a world  
That doesn't give a shit..._**

He steps closer to her now to whisper in her ear. "You know, you're supposed to be some slick-shit killer. Now look at you… all back-of-the-bus and shit."

She lurches forward in her chains now and manages to sink her teeth into Lou's neck. He screams as her teeth dig into his flesh. He pulls away and holds at the now bloody bite on his neck.

She looks up at him, a wicked grin on her face made more wicked by the blood dripping out of her mouth and down her chin. She taunts him while she laughs. "You don't know where I've been, Lou. Ha ha ha! You don't know where I've been! Ha ha! Ha ha ha ha ha!"

**_...Fight, fight, fight, fight..._**

...Reality Shifts Again...

XXX

...New Mecca...

It isn't long until they hear it. The loud wail of the warning sirens.

"Oh god! They are here!" Lajjun screams as people begin to pour out into the street and run to the shelters.

"I must get them to the shelter." Book says to Riddick and Mal.

"Shelter ain't going to do anything when they come preacher." Riddick says sternly.

"Come on, we'll get you and your family to Serenity. Wait for this to blow over and leave." Mal says as he walks towards the door with Riddick and Mal following him.

"Lajuun, Ziza! Come! We take only ourselves." Book says as he begins to follow Mal into the crowd.

"Stay close." Mal says as they rush through the crowd to the landing bay.

They run thru the crowds for a few minutes...weaving in between families trying to carry too much and heavy commotion. But in the confusion and chaos from the battle going on in the sky overhead...they lose Lajjun and Ziza in the crowd.

"Wait! Stop!" Book says as he looks back to try and find his family. "I must find them!" He yells as he runs back the other direction.

"No!" Mal yells but it's too late.

"Get to Serenity...I'll find them and bring them back." Riddick says as he turns down an alley away from the throng of people.

XXX

...Serenity...

Zoe and Jayne closed up the cargo bay doors when they heard the sirens start. They now stare at the chaos on the other side of the doors.

"I don't like the look of this. Cap'n and Riddick should have been back by now." Jayne says as he holds Vera.

"They're probably just collecting Book and his family." Zoe says trying to remain calm.

A few minutes later and they see Mal running at the door. He bangs once or twice before they open it up.

"Zoe, tell your husband to get this ship ready to fly." Mal says as he quickly closes the door behind him.

"Where's Riddick?" Jayne asks.

"He's coming with Book, Lajjun, and Ziza." Mal says as he takes up Zoe's post.

XXX

Book searches the deserted alleyways for what feels like an eternity before he finds his sister and niece huddled in an alcove.

"Thank Buddha...come we must hurry." He says as he embraces them and then pulls in Lajjun's hand.

"This way!" He says as he cautiously leads them through the streets. They come to an intersection and Book hurries Lajjun and Ziza into an alcove.

"I'll see if it's safe...Stay back!" He says as he ventures out into the street.

The coast looks clear and he turns and motions for them to follow. "Come, Ziza."

They move away from the alcove and begin to slowly creep towards Book before they hear shouting coming down the street.

"Stay back!" Book yells as he tries to get back to them, but is cut off when shots begin to fire.

Book scurries to the other side of the street and feels strong hands yank him back. He turns to see Riddick smirk at him. "You following me?" Riddick says with a chuckle, which makes Book let out a breath he didn't know he was holding.

The battle continues to rage out in the street as Riddick and Book look on. The New Mecca soldiers are no match for the Necromongers...the brute strength alone from the soldiers is impressive.

"Lajjun and Ziza!" Book yells as s few shots get dangerously close to his family. He tries to run out into the fray now, but is quickly held back by Riddick.

"When it's over." Riddick barks.

"Let me go. I must get to my family!" Book says as he struggles against Riddick's grasp.

Riddick glares at him now. "When it's over!"

The battle lasts a few more minutes...until the street goes eerily quiet again.

"Thank God..." Book says.

"I'm sure God has his tricks, but getting out of places no one else can, that's one of mine...Let's get your family."

XXX

Riddick's POV

As soon as the dust settles I go to where Lajjun and Zia were hiding and they both look relieved when they see me and Book.

"Got to be quiet and follow my lead okay?" I say to Ziza. She nods her little head and so does Lajjun.

We start walking through the alleyways back to the ship and get within a few blocks before we run into trouble.

We hear the hiss of machines and foot steps in front of us. I can see several soldiers and some weird things on a leash approaching.

"In here. Get in. Shh." Book says as he quickly drags the girls to an alcove on one side of the alleyway and I duck into one on the other side.

There is a moment of silence before I hear it...amplified breathing and electronic screeching. I don't have a good view of whatever it is from this side of the alleyway but I can see Book slowly pulling away from the girls.

I can just hear him whisper. "Don't follow me."

But before I can do anything, he runs out of the alcove and down the alleyway, away from the girls...drawing one of the things and the soldiers that were approaching away. One of the soldiers chasing him has a knife sticking out from his back.

The other one though, gets to the alcove that the girls are and I quickly rush it and slam my shiv into both it and the guy holding the leash of the thing. They fall to the floor with a thud.

"Let's get you back to Serenity." I say as I turn to go the opposite direction that Book went.

"But Derrial..." Lajjun begins to say.

"I'll get you back and then go find him."

XXX

...Elsewhere...

Book runs until he hears the footsteps behind him growing more faint. He slows his pace and turns to see if anything has followed him. That is where he see the huge hulking man...with two large axes in his hands. He sighs and walks forward, somewhat defiantly.

"There will be an afterlife for me. Will there be for you?" He asks the man with the axe.

The man says nothing, but lifts his axe.

XXX

Riddick's POV

I get the girls back to the ship and tell Mal I'm going to look for the Shepherd. He merely nods and says he'll keep Serenity warmed up. I turn and grab a com unit before I run back out into New Mecca.

It doesn't take me long to find him...or his body at least. There's a pool of blood on the street and I see the cross necklace that he always wears lying in it. I look around and find the crumpled heap of his body thrown over the edge of a railing to a lower alleyway. I pick up the cross and stuff it in my pocket.

"Big Bad to Valkyrie. Big Bad to Valkyrie. Come in." I say into the com as I hop down to where Book's body lays.

"This is Valkyrie Big Bad. You get him?" Wash asks over the com.

"Negative, he's dead...motherfuckin' assholes killed him." I hear a string of mandarin curses over the com now along with someone crying. "I'm going after them. I'll get back to you soon."

"Are you sure that's a good..."

But my anger is in full force now and Wash doesn't get the chance to finish. "Yes I'm fuckin' sure!"

XXX

...Meanwhile...

From the main ship walks a man covered in armor adorned by faces. He takes the front part of his helmet away and looks out over his armada.

"Let's go replenish the ranks." He says as he walks down the stairs with a smile on his face. He is followed by a group of people...an envoy of sorts...along with soldiers.

"Never fails to inspire, does it? Each time a dynasty falls." A woman in the envoy says as she descends the stairs. She is dressed in a form fitting dress that looks like liquid gold on her body.

"Remember your place, Dame Vaako." One of the commanding soldiers to the Lord Marshall's right reprimands her.

"My place is at your side, dear husband. From here till UnderVerse come." Dame Vako says to Lord Vaako as she links her arm with hers and descends the stairs and walks towards New Mecca.

XXX

...New Mecca...

They stroll into New Mecca's parliament as if they own the place. Soldiers line the stairs and circle around the back of the room as well. The Lord Marshall and his envoy enter after the soldiers...and while many of the envoy stay near the main stairway, one steps forward and follows the Lord Marshall to the center of the room.

"In this 'verse, life is antagonistic to the natural state." The man...the Purifier...says.

"Here, humans in all their various races...are a spontaneous outbreak...an unguided mistake. Our purpose... is to correct that mistake. Because there is another 'verse...a 'verse where life is welcomed and cherished. A ravishing, ever-new place called UnderVerse."

There are hushed whispers and murmurs around the room now. He waits for them to die down before he continues. "But the road to that 'verse...crosses over the threshold."

"Threshold! Take us to the threshold!" All of the soldiers in the room say in unison.

"What you call... death." The Purifier explains.

There is more muttering in the crowd now. "So it is this 'verse that must be cleansed of life, so that UnderVerse can populate and prosper."

People are clamoring now and the Purifier's voice rises to get over them all. "Look around you. Every Necromonger in this hall, every one of the Legion Vast that just swept aside your defenses in one night...was once like you...Fought as feebly as you...Every Necromonger that lives today...is a convert."

"There'll be no conversions!" Someone shouts from the crowd.

"We all began as something else! It was hard for me to accept, too, when I first heard these words. But I changed. I let them take away my pain." The Purifier continues.

"You betrayed your faith!" Another voice yells.

"Just as you will change...when you realize that the threshold to the UnderVerse will be crossed...only by those who have embraced the Necromonger faith...For those of you who will right now...drop to your knees and ask to be purified."

One brave man descends the steps now, speaking for everyone in the room..."We will not renounce our faith! No one here will do what you ask. It is unthinkable! This is a world of many peoples, many religions! And we simply cannot and will not be converted!"

The Lord Marshall approaches him and he gasps as the Lord Marshall runs his hand through his body. Everyone else in the room gasps too.

"Then I'll take your soul." He says as he pulls the wisp of a soul of the man from his body and he crumples to the floor.

"Join him...Or join me." The Lord Marshall says as he addresses the room. One by one everybody begins to knee. Finally there is just one hooded man in the back of the room that is not kneeling. It is then that Riddick removes his hood and looks about the room.

XXX

Riddick's POV

I can hear the whispers and feel their eyes on me. They want to know who would dare not kneel.

"This is your one chance. Take the Lord Marshal's offer and bow." A soldier says. He looks like a commanding officer since his armor is different than the grunts on the edge of the room.

"I bow to no man." I grumble.

The man approaches me now and takes off his helmet. "He's not a man. He's the holy Half-Dead who has seen the UnderVerse."

I chuckle at the man's arrogance. Who the fuck does he think I am? Some pussy like the rest of the fuckers in the rest of the room? "Look, I'm not with everyone here..." The man looks confused now at what I said. "But I will take a piece of him." I say as I point to the man I saw chase after Book.

The hulking soldier hoists his two axes now and grunts his approval of the challenge.

The commander smirks now. "A piece you will have."

The axe guy walks towards me and waits a moment before he lashes out at me with both axes, I quickly lean back to avoid the blades and then spin under his next swing. I pull the dagger he hasn't even noticed is stuck in his back out and then spin under his next swing as I jam the blade into his stomach. He falls down the stairs and people around quickly move away from the body.

I turn to walk away when I hear a voice behind me. "Stop him!" A booming voice yells. I turn and see the Lord Marshall, or whatever these fuckers call him approaching me. He stops at the body at the foot of the stairs and yanks the blade out.

"Irgun. One of my best." He says as he walks up the stairs to me. He has the blade in his hands like he is ready to strike and I can feel the adrenaline in my veins building.

I chuckle. "If you say so."

Now what this guy does next surprises me. He hands the blade to me. "What do you think of this blade?" He asks as he does.

I take the blade and proceed to spin it around in my hands. It's a good blade, well worn from battle, but it's flawed. "I think it's a half-gram heavy on the back end." I tell him as I hand it back to him.

He closes his hand around mine and tries to push the blade back to me. "In our faith, you keep what you kill."

The fucker's strong, I'll give him that, and I have to strain against him as he pushes the blade back towards me.

He looks confused now. "Are you familiar to me? Have we met on some distant field?"

"You'd think I'd remember." I say through gritted teeth.

"You'd think I would too." He says before releasing my hand and walking down the stairs again.

"Take him before the Quasi-Deads." He says over his shoulder.

The four soldiers and the commander from earlier begin to circle me now and I can feel my muscles tensing for a fight. Fuck these guys if they think I am going to just listen to them.

But then a female voice calls out. "Perhaps the breeder would do it...if somebody just asked him." As she walks forward and parts the soldiers. This woman is clearly high-ranking...probably the commanders wife if the look he gives her now tells me anything. But she wreaks of corruption...like the smell of sulfur.

She circles me now and I lean in to smell her just to fuck with the commander's head. "It is a rare offer. A visit inside Necropolis." She purrs.

"It's been a long time since I smelled beautiful." I want to laugh so hard when I see the fucker's face contort into something of confusion and desperation. That little line was worth it just to see that look.

"Let me show you the way. Beautiful eyes. Come." She says as she takes my hand and leads me out of the building.

XXX

AN: I have to say this chapter made me really sad. I think some of you knew it is why I kept Book alive in A Firefly Among Monsters though. It's unfortunate, but I couldn't see any other way around it, he was going to have to die in this story. RIP Derrial Book. 'Til next time people... ;)


	4. Kill the Furyan

AN: Big shout outs to the all the people who are following and favorited this story! I am so excited that you guys like where I am taking this fic. Lucian14 and Shenandoah76209 thank you for your reviews, it means a lot to read your comments on the story. Now on with the show!

Chapter 4: Kill the Furyan

Song: Immigrant Song by Karen O, Trent Reznor, and Atticus Ross

XXX

Riddick's POV

After walking by the rows of warships we come to a ship that looks like its got a temple carved in to a rock face in the front.

"This way." the woman from earlier says with the sweep of her hand up the steps.

We walk through the doors into a hall that looks like it's been made out of a bunch of different metals and materials. There are scenes of battles and conquests in the floor design and stained glass.

"The last six Lord Marshals have called this home. Magnificent, isn't it?" The woman says as she notices me looking around. Shit this all just looks like someone was trying too hard to me.

"I might have gone a different way." I say. Someone chuckles behind me.

"True of us all." The man giving the speech earlier says as he walks by me.

I turn to watch him slightly, and see people on what looks like meat hooks down one of the hallways.

"Converts receiving the mark of the Necromonger. They learn how one pain can lessen another." The woman says as she touches my arm lightly and leads me down another corridor.

After a few minutes she leads me into a large circular room, with a balcony above it. In the center is a raised platform with a soft glowing light underneath it.

The woman leads me to the platform and then circles me. She should get her looks in now, cause I ain't staying for long. "There now. That is just… perfect."

That's when I feel something begin to pull on my muscles...almost rooting me to the spot.

"The more you resist them, the greater the damage will be." The woman says as she exits the room. All of the doors leading out close and I see the Lord Marshall fucker above me on the balcony.

Suddenly there is a mechanical hiss and four of the panels rotate and reveal egg like cocoons with what looks like mummified bodies in them. "A new one...You've brought us a new one!" One of them whispers.

"Making entry...This won't take long." Another one says and I feel the strain on my muscles grow.

"We've entered his neocortex. Ahh! The Riddick!"

I can feel them... like her ghosting fingertips on my spine, I can feel their fingers trying to dig under the surface.

"Scanning fresh memories." One of the corpses hisses.

"Thoughts of someone called River."

XXX

River's POV

She's sitting on the edge of one of the cliff like cells when it hits her with the intensity of a freight train...She feels it...feels their lies and needles in the brain.

"Riddick." His name escapes her lips.

She feels him resisting...feels his muscles strain against the pull. Her hands begin to shake violently as she grips the edge of the rocks to try and ground herself.

She wants to scream...wants to tell him to run...burn the memories of her. But all that comes out of her mouth is a whisper.

"Furyan."

And just as quickly as she felt him...the feelings are gone, but her body still shakes and she can barely keep herself from falling to pieces.

XXX

Riddick's POV

"_Riddick_!" Her voice whispers in my mind.

Their fingers are like daggers in my skull, and I can see my memories they drag up in the back of my eyelids.

_"She went to prison." _Books voice echoes.

_"Furyan." _River's voice echoes again.

"Furyan." One of the corpse things repeats.

XXX

The Lord Marshall is not pleased. It had been a long time since he had heard _that _word.

"Where does he come from? Who are his people?" He asks the quasi-dead. "These are the things I need to know." He demands.

"We find energy...We find Furyan energy." A quasi-dead hisses.

After a few seconds of quiet the other quasi-dead begin to hiss..."He's Furyan! Furyan! A Furyan survivor!"

"Kill the Furyan! Kill the Riddick!"

Now the other three quasi-dead begin to hiss and echo the same thought. "Kill the Riddick! Kill the Riddick! Kill the Riddick!"

The Lord Marshall is not pleased. "Kill the Riddick." He states with venom in his voice.

XXX

Riddick's POV

I feel the pull on my muscles cut off, and I can move again...Just as four armed guards jump over the balcony railings and onto the floor near me. Fuckers have another thing comin' if they think they are going to get the best of me.

I pick up the knife I shoved into the guy earlier and dodge the first guards attempt to slice off my head with a spear. Fucker's too slow and I find the sweet spot with my blade the minute he pivots.

No time to waste on the other fucks though... I see a door open to the side of me and sprint out of it and out the main hall.

I make it out the hall and down the steps before I hear them behind me, and I quickly fish into my pockets as I sprint towards the city.

"Serenity...come in."

"Riddick? What's going on?" Mal answers quickly. His voice is laced with urgency.

I push myself to run harder. "Got some fuckers... tailing me...Gonna need a little... help with this one."

"Roger. Get to the Old Square...we'll have the cover."

I jam the com back into my pocket as I hit the city limits.

XXX

...Back on the Necropolis...

The Lord Marshall strides towards Dame Vaako who stands talking to two other female Necromongers.

"A word Dame Vaako." He says as the three women bow slightly to him.

"Certainly Lord Marshal." She says as she follows him.

He waits until the other women are out of earshot before he begins.

"Your service to me has been most appreciated in these recents conquests Dame Vaako." The Lord Marshall says as they continue to walk along the upper walkway.

"Thank you my Lord," she says as she follows him.

The come to an outer balcony in the Necropolis and he looks out over his troops.

"I was hoping to call upon your talents again. I want you to probe the quasi-dead for further memories from the Riddick."

"Is there anything specific my Lord like me to look into?"

"I need to know more about him, and if he knows anything of the girl."

Dame Vaako hides her smirk of satisfaction. "Of course my Lord, it may take some time though."

"Just do it." The Lord Marshall says as he turns and walks away from Dame Vaako.

XXX

...Few minutes later...

The streets of New Mecca are deserted. Its almost like a ghost town of the bustling city that was just there a few hours ago.

"Jayne, you seeing anything?" Mal says into his com unit.

"Nada. Might be he's trying to lose em fore he gets to us." Jayne's voice comes in.

The muscles in Mal's jaw tense. "Well just keep um' ready, just in case. You too Zoe."

"Roger sir." Zoe's voice echoes into the com.

XXX

Riddick's POV

I can feel them hot on my heels. Chasing me through the maze of the burned city. The foot soldiers are easy enough to outrun, their heavy armor slowing them down...But the transport shuttle... well, that's proving to be a bit more difficult.

I hear the whir of it's engines overhead now as I bank around a corner. However, my ears also pick up something else...

XXX

As the transport shuttle comes into clear view in the square three rocket launchers fire simultaneously. The shuttle didn't even have a chance for evasive maneuvers before its hit. It immediately begins to nose dive into the square and the shock of the impact causes Riddick to stumble.

The transport shuttle is skidding along the square now, straight towards where Riddick is running. It jack-knifes over him and crash lands into the buildings in front of him.

Riddick breathes a sign of relief as he hears boots shuffling up behind him.

"Got to hand it to you, you sure know how to make friends." Mal says as Riddick gets up and dusts off his hands.

Riddick turns around slowly and smirks. "I seem to remember a time when we said the same thing about you."

"He does have a point Mal." Jayne says as he shoulders the rocket launcher and hands Riddick a gun just in case company shows up.

"Well, be that as it may, let's get the hell out of here before more come lookin."

XXX

...Serenity's Bridge a while later...

An alert noise comes on a few seconds after Serenity breaks atmo.

"Wash, please tell me we ain't bein' followed?" Mal says as he looks at the screens.

"We're pickin' up fields here." Wash says as he flips a few switches.

"This is some kind of scan. I don't know. Readin' our Btus, maybe?" Zoe asks as she looks over his shoulder.

"Drop em." Mal says as he takes the co-pilots seat.

"I'm on it." Zoe says as she moves to the back wall to deploy the decoys.

"Let's just hope its enough people." Mal says as he takes the co-pilots seat.

XXX

...A few hours later...

Vaako inspects the burn marks on the ground outside the city. He gets up and walks over to the tracker that he has brought with him while the other men inspect the rest of the burns.

He uses the digital viewer attached to the tracker to magnify the image the tracker is reading up in the sky. It takes a few clicks before it comes into view, but there it is...a clear ion trail, leading off world.

XXX

...Necropolis...

Dame Vaako sits next to one of the quasi-dead, her face immobile, her eyes watching the attached screen as she taps into their most recent subject.

_"She went to prison...headed for a world so hot you not survive on the surface...River."_

Dame Vaako's eyes snap open and she strides over to her attendant.

"Look for all records concerning prisons where the surface is uninhabitable."

The attendant nods and leaves.

Dame Vaako walks back over to where the image of the girl still lingers on the screen.

"You could be a problem." She says as she disconnects the screen from the quasi-dead.

XXX

Riddick's POV

"_Furyan" _ She says in my dreams. Except this time it's not River's voice calling to me.

_"Some of us still remember..." _

I wake up and pull a shiv... but just like before, it's only me.

_"We must settle our past..."_

It's unsettling... how easy the voices creep in now. Both of them... I sigh and swing my body out of bed, and so begins my near nightly ritual of walking into the bowels of Serenity. It's the only thing that seemed to keep the voices and memories at bay.

It had been happening more and more over the last few months. Dreams and voices waking me from sleep... driving me awake and putting me on edge. Every time I tried to dig deeper for answers, for something to go off, they just seem to pull further away.

I'm standing on the catwalk over the cargo bay when I hear him walk up behind me.

"Can't sleep either?" Mal asks.

"Findin it harder and harder to." I reply with a shrug.

Mal sighs as he rests his forearms agains the railing of the catwalk. "We never can catch a break can we."

The air had been heavy with sadness since we broke atmo. Everyone on board had felt it when we lost Inara... and now we had to add Book to that list. Luck never seemed to be on our side.

"Never seems to be in the cards... How are they doin?"

"Luijan and Ziza? They settled in. Put them in the Shepard's old room. Kaylee and Zoe got them some things together. Seem like they more just want to be left in peace for a bit."

I nod in acknowledgment but don't say anything.

Mal's the one to break the silence after a few minutes... "Try to get some sleep."

"Easier said than done..." I say to myself as he walks back towards his bunk.

"_Furyan." _River's voice echoes the other woman's words.

_"An Alpha…the strongest of your kind."_

My fists clench around the railing and I feel a heat course through my veins, and I feel the pinpricks on the back of my skull. Now the other woman's voice penetrates my thoughts. _"In due time...you will carry the mark..."_

XXX

River's POV

The girls tosses... screws her eyes shut...She sleeps but they won't let her rest... She sees the flashes before her eyes, but she doesn't want to...

**_...We come from the land of the ice and snow  
from the midnight sun where the hot springs blow..._**

It's another planet..._ his _planet, and all that lay there were ruins and ash. Headstones and ghosts.

**_...The hammer of the gods will drive our ships to new lands  
To fight the horde and sing and cry, Valhalla, I am coming..._**

"_Furyan." _She calls to her.

**_...On we sweep with, with threshing oar  
Our only goal will be the western shore..._**

Another whole planet lay dead... another secret to burn up her brain... except this time she can't run the numbers, there is no _Miranda_ to chase... no... this wasn't her secret... it was _theirs... _so why was _she _forcing it on her?

**_...How soft your fields, so green  
can whisper tales of gore, of how we calmed the tides of war  
We are your overlords..._**

The voice echoes in her brain now unrelentingly. _"You keep what you kill..." _

**_...S-so now you better stop and rebuild all your ruins  
for peace and trust can win the day despite of all you're losin'..._**

_"In due time..."_

XXX

AN: Dun dun dun! Oh no, what could it be? Who's flying this thing? Oh right, that would be me. ;) Hope you guys liked this chapter. Till next time.


	5. I might be better off

AN: Sorry I posted this chapter a little late, but better late than never huh? Thank for all the recent follows and favorites, with shout out to Shenandoah76209, Irishbrneyes, and for the reviews!

Chapter 5: I might be better off

Song: All of this Past by Sarah Bettens

XXX

He stands on the highest balcony overlooking his armada. His half dead soul hears her approaching but does not turn to face her.

"Remarkable what can be accomplished." He says as she stands by his side.

"It never does cease to amaze, Lord Marshall."

He turns now but does not look at her. "What have you found."

"He's knows her. I believe that is where he is headed." Dame Vaako states.

This does not please the Lord Marshall and his face shows it as he turns towards her. "Where is she?"

"The memories seem to indicate a prison. I have pulled records based off what was described and I believe she is on a world called Crematoria."

"Well done Dame Vaako." He says as he turns and walks back towards the Necropolis.

Her smile fades the minute he is back inside the Necropolis, and her face turns into one of annoyance and disgust.

XXX

River's POV

...Reality Shifts...

It's the same dream... same nightmare... that she has had for the past few months. She doesn't know their names but she knows their faces, knows the color of their dead eyes, and their poisonous voices.

**_...Here I go again  
Slipping further away  
Letting go again  
Of what keeps me in place..._**

She's summoned...to their great hall...paraded as the prize. She can't see herself, but her senses feel different...instead of hearing whispers and trickles of thoughts...she hears each individual thought and can trace it back to its source... all within a microsecond.

**_...The light is beautiful  
But I'm darker than light  
And you are wonderful  
But this moment is mine..._**

_Their_ Lord Marshall parades her in front of them...parades _her_ as a victory.

And that's when she sees _him..._ her minstrel...her warrior... and the look in his eyes kills her all over.

**_...All of this dust  
All of this past  
All of this over and gone  
And never coming back..._**

"Are you with me, River?" He asks her.

"They made it sound perfect...a place where anyone can start over."

"Are you with me, River?" He asks again with more ache and pain in his voice.

**_...I know what is lost  
Hope is always fear  
For the pain it may cost..._**

But she can't answer him, because she doesn't know.

**_...And I have searched for the reason to go on  
I've tried and I've tried  
But it's taking me so long..._**

He turns towards the Lord Marshall. "You killed everything I've ever loved."

**_...I might be better off  
Closing my eyes..._**

...Reality Shifts Again...

XXX

...Necropolis...

The Lord Marshall stands with three of his commanders in his war room. The review the holographic simulation of the next planet in this solar system.

"I say we attack Helion Two next. Take it straight into their teeth. It'll cost you 20.000 heads, five warrior ships. Nothing more, I swear it." One commander says as the simulation of the attack plays on the holographic map in the center of the table.

The two other commanders nod their heads in agreement, while the metaphorical wheels in the Lord Marshall's head turn.

"While I do prize brute force, this approach is perhaps more artful..."

He uses the controls to change the holograph on the table. "Start at the end. Go straight to Helion Five, the last planet in the system. We approach from the night side. Remove these cannons first, then attack the larger placements at speed."

Commander Vaako steps through the doorway directly behind the Lord Marshall. He pauses before he approaches the table and then moves as silently as he can.

"We'll catch them on their rear flank...And in ten days time, the rest of those worlds will tumble before us."

Commander Vaako gets within three steps of the Lord Marshall now.

The Lord Marshall continues speaking to his commanders. "You see, as with most, their blind spot…"

His un-dead soul spins in a split second to face Vaako now. "...is right behind them." He says to a somewhat startled Vaako, but he steels himself to avoid showing it.

"I've located an ion trail which leads off-world." Vaako says as he walks to the side of the table.

The Lord Marshall turns back to the holographic map now. "Then you should be off-world, Vaako."

"I've deployed a tracker team. One of the best." Vaako responds.

"Wherever Riddick has gone, you lens him out and cleanse him. You."

Vaako is annoyed by this request and it shows on his face and in his voice. "You want me to take a frigate for one breeder?"

"Don't question it, Vaako!" Lord Marshall practically barks at Vaako. It takes a moment before he calms.

"Take it on faith."

Vaako turns to leave, but before he reaches the doorway the Lord Marshall continues. "If _she_ is with him, bring her back."

XXX

...Serenity...

By the time Riddick gets to the dining hall everyone else, with the exception of Laijun, Ziza, and Allie are present and accounted for. Everyone is noticeably tense and no one really knows what to expect when they get to Crematoria. Riddick takes a seat next to Jayne at the table.

"So, what do we know?" Mal asks.

"52 hours days with temperature levels in polar extremes depending on the time of day." Zoe says as she pulls up the planet records. "No cargo ships allowed within 20 kilometers. No escapes on records."

"How many attempted?" Simon asks.

"None recorded, but it doesn't mean that people haven't tried."

Jayne grunts. "You mean that River hasn't tried, moon-brain's the only one _feng-lei_ enough to try sumthin' like that."

"Jayne." Mal says in warning.

"What? Meant it as a compliment is all." Jayne replies in his defense.

"So is there any info useful to us here people?" Mal says as he leans in and begins looking over the print outs frustration evident on his face.

Everyone begins going over scraps of paper to see if they see something. There are mumbled voices as each of them kind of talk to themselves.

"Seems like there is a 20 minute window of travel time on surface Captain." Kaylee says as she and Simon look at the temperature read outs.

"Anything else? What's the layout of this place?" Riddick says as he shuffles papers looking for the schematics that Book's research got them.

"Got it." Wash says as he uploads the schematics. The planet shows on the holo-projector now and Mal and Riddick stand to get a closer look.

"Seein' some old tunnels leading to an old hanger." Mal says as he zooms in on an area.

XXX

Riddick's POV

"Interesting..." I say as I study the layout.

"Your doin' the thing again." Simon says with a chuckle.

"What thing?"

"Doc means the thing you do whenever you get a plan... you get all cryptic like moony." Jayne says as he puts his heels up on the table and leans back.

"Thought you were gonna stop callin' her that Jayne."

"Hey, don't get me wrong I miss her too. But she is crazy and that don't mean this isn't another dead end."

Fuck and there it is, the thought no one wants to bring up...but it's still there none the less. And I feel all their eyes on me, looking at me as if I can somehow pull a magic fuckin' rabbit out of the air.

"She's there."

"Yeah but just cause some records say..." Jayne starts in again.

I snap and slam my fist on the table. "She's fuckin there, alright!"

Everyone's jumpy, I can feel their nerves weighing in on me. No one speaks for a minute after that.

"So, we're 5 hours out...how we goin' to do this then?" Mal finally asks.

"I'm workin on it." I say as I pull up the schematics of Serenity's shuttle.

XXX

...Necropolis...

"He's always been unsettled around you...the Lord Marshal...Unsteady." Dame Vaako says as she drags the heated metal pen along her eyes. Her skin singes as she drags it along and leaves blackened skin in its wake.

Vaako is consulting star charts at a table and barely glances in her direction.

She dips the metal pen back into charcoal to heat it again. "Perhaps because he knows he's half the warrior you are. Some say he's too artistic for the job. I wouldn't be surprised if someone promoted him soon...to full dead."

This gets Vaako's attention though. "Take care what you say." He warns her.

"Should I say it softly?" She says as she stands and moves behind her husband and wraps her arms around him.

"So it sounds more like conspiracy?" Vaako hisses at her.

Her arms drop now and she moves away from him. "Oh, why is it that when anyone breathes about the demise of him on the throne...everyone assumes a conspiracy?"

"When he is ready, he will name a successor." Vaako insists.

Dame Vaako laughs now. "Who? Toal? Scales? The Purifier? None of them...with the strength, the dignity, of Lord Vaako..."

Again she comes to stand behind her husband and this time whispers in his ear, "You can keep what you kill."

"Stop." Vaako warns.

But she doesn't stop. "That is the Necromonger way."

Now he turns and yells at her. "I said... stop...His death will come in due time and not a moment sooner."

"Why?" She yells back.

"Because I serve him. We all serve him. It's called fidelity."

Dame Vaako laughs. "It's called stupidity." She is rewarded with a slap across the face and the force of the blow knocks her to the ground.

"Well, finally some attention." She screams and launches herself at Vaako. He struggles with her, but manages to get both her wrists behind her as she wraps her legs around him. He pins her against the table he had been working at.

They glare at each other for a moment before they kiss roughly. They pull away after a moment and Dame Vaako whispers into Vaako's ear. "You have such greatness in you...If only you could see it like I do."

"Today I came up behind him in perfect silence and he knew." He replies with irritation. "His half-dead soul sensed I was behind him. He sees everything."

She continues with her seduction. "Screw your courage to the sticking place Vaako, and we will not fail. You be the good warrior. Go after this Riddick. I'll find out why the Lord Marshal is so threatened by him, and think of a way to deal with _her."_

XXX

Riddick's POV

...2 hours later...

I'm still going over the shuttle schematics two hours later... running the numbers as she would say.

"It going to work?"

I look up and see Simon standing in the doorway. I sigh. "Should. But can't say for certain, I'm not as good with numbers as she is."

"May I?" He asks as he walks towards the table.

I back up and let him step closer to where I was going over the variables.

He spends a few minutes looking over everything before he looks up again. "Your numbers are correct, should have a 67 percent chance of the heat shield holding."

"Decent odds then."

We kind of stand there awkwardly for a moment. I can tell he wants to say something.

"Easier if you just spit it out Doc."

He sighs. "I know you and I haven't always seen eye to eye, and I know that I may not have been the greatest brother to River, but..." He sighs again. "Bring her back in one piece." ANd with that he turns and walks back towards the crew dorms.

Gotta give it to the Doc... he may be slow, but he's trying.

XXX

...5 hours later...

Riddick's POV

Wash and I are strapped in to the pilot and co-pilot chairs as Jayne and Mal are harnessed in the back seats of the shuttle.

"You sure the buffer panels will hold in the heat?" Wash asks with trepidation.

"They'll hold." I say as we begin the descent in to Crematoria.

"Not sure I like this plan Riddick." Jayne calls up.

"You got a better one Cobb?"

"I'm just saying is all!"

"All right then we heard ya!" Mal screams.

"I make 700 degrees on the day side, 300 below on the night side... you sure about this Riddick?" Wash says as they line up for approach.

Too late to turn back now. "Let's not get caught in the sun."

"If I owned this place and hell, I'd rent this place out and live in hell." Jayne says as he pulls his stupid orange hat on tighter, as if it's going to protect us from burning up.

"Blue angle... good... Stand by." Wash says as he begins to come in low. "And...Plotted course good."

"Hit it!" I scream as he and I both push full throttle down into the canyon to avoid the scorching heat of the planet. We fight with the controls as we do and the entire shuttle shakes a bit.

"There's the landing." I say as we approach.

"Shit, we're comin' in too fast." Wash says as he begins flips switches to slow the descent.

"Wash! Get this thing slowed down!" Mal says as if issuing the command will make it more likely to happen.

"I am a leaf on the wind...I am a leaf on the wind.." He repeats over and over as he tries to make the shuttle slow. It takes him a moment, but the shuttle comes to a screeching halt in the hanger...just as the full force of the heat hits the landing.

XXX

AN: Well, this should be interesting. Are you guys excited? Till ext time ;)


	6. Welcome to the Jungle

AN: Shenandoah76209 you never cease to put a smile on my face with your reviews, and Nightstar28 I am glad you like the story. I work really hard to keep everyone in character, but still mold the story to my idea. And thank for everyone else who is favoriting and following. It's the moment we have all been waiting for, now on with the show!

Chapter 6: Welcome to the Jungle...should I go for the sweet spot?

Song: Welcome to the Jungle by Guns N' Roses and The Kill by 30 Seconds to Mars

XXX

River's POV

She opens her eyes and sits up. She gets off her thread bare cot on the floor and walks to the edge of her cliff faced cell to look up. They are so close now she can practically hear their heartbeats.

"29.4 kilometers." The girl says to herself as the music fills her mind again.

...Reality Shifts...

The music starts when they load her into the sled. They chain her hands and feet to the bars on the floor. Lou sits in the front next to his right hand man while the other one...the smelly one kinda hovers over her.

**_...Welcome to the jungle  
We've got fun 'n' games  
We got everything you want  
Honey, we know the names..._**

"Sorry to see you go so soon honey. We could have had some fun." He says as the sled begins to pull away from the dock.

"You grind your teeth at night." She replies with repulsion in her voice.

He shifts his weight now so that she has to bear more of it now.

"Comfy?" He says as she feels the sled pick up momentum on it's downward spiral.

**_...We are the people that can find  
Whatever you may need  
If you got the money, honey  
We got your disease..._**

She looks blankly at the ceiling flashing by..the lights are especially interesting, and she begins to count silently as she taps her foot against the bar... one one thousand... two one thousand...three one thousand...light...

**_...I wanna watch you bleed..._**

One one thousand... two one thousand...three one thousand...light.

One one thousand... two one thousand...three one thousand...light.

One one thousand... two one thousand...three one thousand...She uses all the force she can muster now to raise her hips up as much as she can...and with it the goon sitting on her...

His head hits as they pass the light and the speed of the sled is enough to send him flying off of her and onto the tracks behind them.

**_...We take it day by day  
If you want it you're gonna bleed  
But it's the price you pay..._**

Lou turns and looks back when he thinks he hears something now and she merely shrugs.

He's somewhat shocked to not see the man sitting on her, but kind of cackles and pats the other goon on the shoulder. "Two way split!"

It doesn't take them long after that to reach the docking station.

"29.4 kilometers." The girl says to herself.

**_...And you're a very sexy girl  
That's very hard to please..._**

They march her into the warden office and stand her near the center of the room. Three equally smelly and lecherous men sit around the room holding various weapons.

"So...this is River Tam." The warden says in a Russian accent as his eyes linger over her. "She don't look like picture."

"Oh I assure you, it's her." Lou says.

The fat man comes up and sniffs her now, as if he could smell if its really her.

"Don't take this one, boss. She smells of trouble."

She smirks...oh if only they knew.

"What do you mean 'don't take her' I'm here to collect on her fuckin' ass." Lou fumes.

**_I wanna hear you scream_**

"I'll give you 300 K for her." The warden says.

"The HELL you will!" Lou yells.

The warden gets up and comes to the front of his desk now. "See? Anatoli here has a nose for trouble. And this one, this girl..."

"Big, big trouble." The fat man, Anatoli, says.

"So, 300 K is good money." The warden says as he offers it to Lou.

The chuckles. "I'd take the money, Lou." He shoves her for her response.

She can hear him thinking it over in his head now... and after a minute he relents just so he can get off this hell hole. They shake on it and hook her onto the wench to lower her down into the pit.

**_It gets worse here everyday  
Ya learn ta live like an animal  
In the jungle where we play_**

"Down, down, down. Would the fall never come to an end!" River laugh and says to herself as she thinks of Alice.

"Except this isn't wonderland."

**_Watch it bring you to your knees, knees_**

Her feet touch the ground now and she jumps up to unhook her chains from the wench. When she lands back on her feet she looks around at the men who have gathered around her... dirty and covered with soot and grime.

She rolls her eyes at their thoughts before kicking her leg backwards into the jaw of one of the men behind her.

**_Welcome to the jungle_**

It would take a few more "reminders"... meaning a few more broken jaws and limbs before they finally backed off.

...Reality Shifts...

XXX

Riddick's POV

They march me to the sled convincingly enough for the security cameras. Wash stayed with the shuttle to run checks on hull integrity.

"Alright let's stick to the plan and lets get off this hell hole as fast as we can." Mal says as he takes a seat in the sled.

I chuckle. "Dunno why you're reminding us Mal, it's your plans that get us shot at."

"Hey! That ain't always true."

"Whatever you say Mal." Jayne says as he finishes tying me into the sled and takes a seat next to Mal.

"No respect." Mal mutters under his breath as the sled pulls out of the dock.

The sled picks up speed as it banks around the corners and I close my eyes as I listen to the sound of the wheels on tracks.

_"29.4 kilometers."_ River's voice echoes in my head and the faint smell of lavender and cloves hits my nostrils.

I instinctively growl as the smell wafts by. "She's here alright."

XXX

They march him to the warden's office with guns drawn on him. A small man stands in front of the door.

"Please put guns away." He says before he opens the door. Both Mal and Jayne oblige as they walk into the next room.

"So, this is Riddick." The warden says from behind his desk.

"The one and only." Mal replies.

The warden eyes them suspiciously. "Seems like a lot for only two to handle."

"Weren't two of us. Man took out 3 of my guys before we got him down with tranqs. Have 3 more guys back on our boat."

But this doesn't relieve the warden's suspicions. "And where was this?"

Jayne pipes in now. "Helion System."

Anatoli comes around to stand in front of Riddick now. "Don't take this one, boss. I don't like this one. He smells of trouble."

"Well that might just be my gun-hand. He is known to smell something fierce." Mal says, trying to avoid any talk of trouble.

"I not so sure, Anatoli can smell things like this. If he says he is trouble, he is trouble."

"Don't change the fact that here he is and I want my money." Mal says laying on the "greed is the creed"attitude.

There is a noticeable tension around the room. Everyone can feel the hairs on the back of their heads stand up and there are a few hands resting on pistols and other weapons.

The warden sits back in his chair now. "It will take some time to figure out current bounty...so many varying reports take time to reconcile."

"How's about this? You open that safe you got hidden behind the console there, show me the real books, then we figure out my cut. Then I'll be on my way." Mal says as he points to the safe cover sitting ajar.

The warden frowns as he closes the cover. "Open my books. This is what you suggest?"

"Wasn't a suggestion." Mal says sternly.

The warden and Mal hold each others gaze, waiting for one or the other to break first. The warden is the first. "These are dangerous days, if you believe the talk." He says as he pulls a bottle of whiskey from the top drawer along with a shot glass. He pours himself a glass and doesn't offer one to Mal.

"Talk?" Jayne asks suspiciously.

Again the tension in the room rises.

"Them"? Mal questions, but its ignored by the warden.

"I'll run the numbers again. It takes a couple of days, probably, so you can stay as my guest. At least here, we are all safe...Yes?" The warden asks his men.

"Yes, boss." Anatoli answers.

It wasn't their original plan... plan was to be gone in a few hours. But at this point they don't have much of a choice if they want to keep up the charade.

"I'll give it a day. One." Mal says as Jayne moves forward and hooks Riddick's hands onto the wench and they begin to lower him into Crematoria.

XXX

River's POV

She watches from the distance... out of sight, but she knows he knows she is here. Her heart races in her chest.

"Two years, four months, thirteen hours, and twenty minutes." But the time hasn't done anything to dull the ache in her chest.

She still feels all the anger and sadness that radiated off his mind as the blast doors slammed shut...can still feel where the soldiers bruised her as they slammed her to the floor to bind her arms.

Every scar on her body radiates in penance for the pain that she put them all through and she feels the tears beginning to form...

She still isn't ready to face the wall of static being lowered into the pit.

XXX

Riddick's POV

The inmates are clanging on the bars as I am lowered. The call of fresh meat. I look around and see all types of criminals, but no sign of her.

_"...this isn't wonderland."_

I'm about ten feet from the bottom when I feel the wench begin to stall. I look up to see some smoke coming from the machine.

"Great, just fucking great...everything has to be the hard way."

I sigh and get ready for the pain this is gonna cause. I swing my body so my feet go up behind me then use the momentum to spin up the chain around my body. A few more swings of my legs and I have about five coils wrapped around my stomach. I then twist my body back the other way and feel the chains begin to unwrap. The downward force does the trick, and the chains binding my hands break and I land on the pit floor.

I can hear footsteps running up behind me and I turn to meet the fucker head on. This shit gets old, lets break the new fucker in type shit. The first guy goes down in a second, and I hear more footsteps behind me. I stick my arm out and catch the guy around the throat as he tries to get the jump on me.

At this point I can hear some more footsteps to my left, but I also hear something fainter...and smell something familiar. I turn to my left to see the guy crash to the floor, a chain wrapped around his neck and the smell of cloves not far away, but there's just an empty corridor.

"There are inmates...and there are convicts. A convict has a certain code. And he knows to show a certain respect." A booming voice bellows and catches my attention.

A man walks towards me and continues speaking, as if he's preaching to the masses. "An inmate, on the other hand, pulls the pin on his fellow man. Does the guards' work for them. Brings shame..." He kicks the inmate that attacked me first in the face now as he walks past him towards me. "To the game."

He stops in front of me now and crosses his arms in front of himself. He's flanked by another guy holding a wrench. "So, which are you gonna be?"

I scoff. If these fuckers even only knew. "Me? I'm just passin' through." I say as I walk off towards the corridor...the scent of lavender getting stronger.

XXX

River's POV

It was impulsive...he could handle himself...but a part of her couldn't not do something...even something small...to show she was there.

And yet all she wants to do right now is run...run as fast as she can...

**_...What if I wanted to break  
Laugh it all off in your face  
What would you do?..._**

She doesn't know what he will do...how he feels. For all the times she has cursed her talents... this is one time she desperately wishes it would come to her in a flash and give her some indication of what was about to come.

Her hands begin to shake, but she forces herself to wait...because he deserves it after all his searching and hunting. He deserves to have his cake and eat it too.

**_...What if I fell to the floor  
Couldn't take all this anymore  
What would you do, do, do?..._**

So she waits in the shadows of her lair...none of the other inmates dared to step foot in here... many corpses and shattered bones had given them the message. The guards were a different story though...and when feeding time came around she usually choose to wander with the other animals to avoid being cornered by them.

He steps closer and closer now...she can feel his heartbeat pulsating in her ears...and her own heartbeat pounds in her chest.

She inches closer to him now...just behind him. Close enough to purr into his ear and press one of her shiv lightly into his back.

**_...What if I wanted to fight  
Beg for the rest of my life  
What would you do?..._**

"Should I go for the sweet spot?" She whispers as he stills. It seems appropriate that she should repeat those words he used so many years ago.

"Left of the spine, fourth lumbar down, the abdominal aorta. What a gusher."

He still doesn't say anything, but he moves the goggles up to uncover his eyes...and his walls are still firmly in place so she presses a little more.

**_...You say you wanted more  
What are you waiting for?  
I'm not running from you..._**

"How do I get eyes like that?" She whispers.

"You gotta kill a few people." His deep baritone voice rumbles.

**_...I tried to be someone else  
But nothing seemed to change  
I know now, this is who I really am inside..._**

She chuckles despite her better judgment. "Did that. Did a lot of that."

**_...Finally found myself  
Fighting for a chance  
I know now, this is who I really am..._**

She can feel his muscles tense now...tighten so much they might snap at any moment. "And then you gotta get sent to a slam." The somewhat sad inflection is his voice practically kills her now and she feels a single tear roll down her cheek.

"One where they tell you you'll never see daylight again." She says as she removes the shiv.

Before she can say anything else now he has spun her into the bars of her cell and is hoisting her up with an arm between her legs and a forearm across her chest.

**_...Look in my eyes  
You're killing me, killing me  
All I wanted was you..._**

XXX

AN: Yes, I'm evil for leaving you with this cliffy. But let's face it, they haven't seen each other in 2 years, so I want the next scene to be more than just good.


End file.
